This a recipe I've been working on this weekend and couldn't wait to share. For practical purposes I'm calling them Coffee Malt Cookies, but their name could also be Bouncing Off the Wall Cookies because of the espresso. My first batch had a lot, but I dialed it down and the cookies have a barely buzzy half teaspoon. Feel free to add more.
Let's Pretend They're Wine...
"These flat and chewy Coffee Malt Cookies hit the sweet spot. The combination of espresso powder and malted milk powder gives them a deep, toasty flavor that's both nostalgic and grown-up. The malt adds warmth and roundness, while the espresso brings just enough bitterness to balance the sweetness." The toffee, which I didn't put in the name, is optional but so good. When the cookies are completely cool, the toffee becomes firm and chewy. I used Heath Bars but Skor Bars would work well too.
Round Cookies
The cookies should spread pretty evenly into circles as they bake, but that doesn't always happen when toffee is involved, so you may want to have a hollowed out 28 oz can or an English muffin ring in case you need to round them out. I used King Arthur flour and an insulated cookie sheet, so between the extra protein in the flour and the insulated sheet, I didn't have to resort to that. Here's a picture of them at about the 10 minute mark.
Milk Chocolate Marshmallow Variation
And speaking of the 10 minute mark, that's a great time to pull the tray and add marshmallows and chocolate! If you want to take the cookies to the next level, grab some large marshmallows, cut them in half, then stick a chunk of milk chocolate in the middle. Put them in the freezer. At the 10 minute mark, pull the tray and quickly top each cookie with a marshmallow chocolate. Return tray to the oven and bake for 2 to 4 more minutes.
I'm hoping this recipe works well for everyone. Being that I am just a one woman show, not a test kitchen, I do my best to test and rely on comments and critical reviews from others. However, I have made these a couple of times now and think these cookies are really great. The texture reminds me of Tiff's Treats or maybe Insomnia, but the cookies are slightly sweeter. The egg measurement is awkward and weird (like me), but it's the ratio you need to get the right texture.
Recipe
Coffee Malt Cookies
Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter (170 grams)
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (King Arthur) ( 195 grams)
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons malted milk powder (27 grams)
- ½ teaspoon espresso powder
- ½ cup sugar (100 grams)
- ¾ cup light brown sugar (150 grams)
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg yolk plus 1 tablespoon beaten egg (30 grams total)
- 1 ½ cups chocolate chips
- 12 mini Heath Bars, chopped
Optional Marshmallow Topping
- 14 large marshmallows
- 14 chunks milk chocolate
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. If you plan on chilling the dough, line 2 or 3 dinner plates with plastic wrap.
- Melt the butter and let it cool.
- While the butter is cooling, in a separate bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, malted milk powder, and espresso powder.
- In a mixing bowl, stir together the cooled melted butter and both sugars.
- Add the egg yolk, the tablespoon of beaten egg, and vanilla. Stir until completely mixed. You can do this by hand or with the paddle attachment. If using the paddle attachment, don't overmix.
- Add flour mixture to wet and stir just until combined. The dough will be very thick. Fold in chocolate chips and toffee. This makes 24 oz of dough before add-ins, so if you want to make different flavors of cookies (based on chips), divide into parts and add other flavors. Caramel chips work well too.
- Scoop dough with a medium cookie scoop (about 2 tablespoons each) and space 2 inches apart on the sheet. If chilling the dough, scoop the balls onto dinner plates lined with plastic wrap, then cover and chill.
- Bake 11-13 minutes or until the edges are set and centers still look slightly underbaked.
- Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then slide the parchment onto the counter and let the cookies cool on the parchment paper. They'll firm up as they cool.
Marshmallow Topping
- If you plan on adding the marshmallow topping, break or cut the marshmallows in half and press a chocolate chunk into the cut part. Squish as flat as you can, then put the marshmallows in the freezer for about 30 minutes. After about 10 to 11 minutes in the oven, pull the tray out and quickly put a frozen marshmallow piece in the center of each cookie. Continue baking just until cookies appear done (3 to 4 more minutes). Marshmallows should puff up and chocolate will soften. Let cool.
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